News headlines might make uncomfortable reading for retailers at the moment. Whether speculating about the possibility of the triple-dip recession or examining how the increasing popularity of online shopping will affect the high street, there’s no shortage of stories that could be cause for concern.

It’s against this backdrop that advancements in labelling solutions should be viewed, in order to get a real sense of their significance to retailers.

Launched a few weeks ago, the 2815 Enhanced Performance (EP) Shoe Label is one of the most recent examples of labelling innovation with the potential to deliver real bottom line benefits.

The electronic article surveillance (EAS) label, designed to protect shoes from being stolen in store, offers enhanced detection and deactivation performance, significantly reducing false alarms. The 2815 EP label has been designed to sustain greater tolerance during the manufacturing process, when applied at source

This development is a good example of how labelling advancements are addressing specific pressing retail needs – shoes are high-risk theft items, being difficult to protect and display at the same time. The most recent Global Retail Theft Barometer showed that footwear has an average shrinkage rate of 0.92 per cent for retailers in Europe.

The Infinite Solutions (iS) product series is another recently launched innovation.

Retailers have noted that the iS Pro – which was designed to protect a range of product categories against theft with a range of product categories, including apparel, accessories, shoes and jewellery – increased speed at point-of-sale, improved on-shelf availability metrics and increased customer satisfaction resulting from merchandise being available on open display.

Another solution in the product series, the iS Surround, also drew praise from retailers, who recognised its versatility, with the solution protecting a wide variety of merchandise, from gift-box perfume, to shoe boxes and small electronics products. The tag wraps tightly around the merchandise and features permanent adhesive on the EAS attachment, which means products remain protected even if the strings are cut or tampered with.

Retailers are contending with difficult economic circumstances, but labelling advancements are empowering retailers to protect their profitability in the areas within their control, including security, product presentation and merchandise availability.

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